We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly. We support the following browsers:
Windows:Internet Explorer,
Mozilla Firefox,
Google Chrome.
Mac:Safari.

Not ready to book?

No rush. We've saved this trip in your cart
so you can come back any time, compare prices, and complete your booking.

They said the massages were good, but the spa... - Review of Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

We recently stayed at Riu Palace in Cabo San Lucas and just loved it! I have been to many resorts in Mexico and Central America, and I have to say this was probably the nicest. The resort itself is just gorgeous. New, clean, very pretty. No time share pitch either, which was awesome! We paid for garden view, but you could actually see the ocean from our balcony as well. Rooms were clean and comfortable. The ceiling fan didn't work and they had to fix the safe was all. Otherwise...great! Fridge was stocked daily with soda and beer (included), and hard liquor was also free in the room. Room service was also included. We mostly ate at the buffets which were top notch! So many choices! Great presentation. Fresh, yummy...really overwhelming there was so much great stuff. Our teens always found stuff they loved to eat. The afternoon snack stand with daily specialties (ie paella) was a pleasant treat. We only ate once in a specialty restaurant, Japanese. It was good, but we preferred the buffets. Mexican beers, and decent mixed drinks...no complaints there. One "activity pool" with lots going on, fun sports and games, etc. Then another large "quiet pool". Nice to have the choice. Never a problem getting pool chairs at either. Activity staff was fun. Nice big beach, but too rough to swim. About a five minute cab ride to downtown. Nightly shows were good, if you are into that. The Michael Jackson show was pretty amazing!! Staff were friendly and helpful in all areas of the resort. Only complaints- my wife and mother in law got massages. They said the massages were good, but the spa area was very noisy and not private at all. Lot's of noise from the Riu Santa Fe next door (which you can also go eat and drink at for free. It's pretty lovely also, but more rowdy). One weird thing...they wouldn't exchange American money for pesos at the hotel, which I have never had happen. No problem, most places in town will take it. The gym was lovely, looking over the beach. But the equipment was very old and in poor repair. Lastly, they don't really give you much of an orientation upon arrival, but just hand you a map and schedule. A little more info would be helpful. All in all....amazing!!

Room Tip: We were in the 1100 block of garden view rooms and you could see a nice ocean view through the palms...

See more room tips

Stayed June 2013, traveled with family

Value

Location

Sleep Quality

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Was this review helpful?Yes

Problem with this review?Report

Ask WCA54 about Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

We were checked into the resort upon boarding the shuttle at the airport. Room cards, towel cards, lock for safe etc. A very pleasant surprise. Upon arrival we could start enjoying the resort or head straight to the room. Our room was 'ocean view' and I knew that could mean a variety of different things. The room itself was clean and had ubiquitous towel creatures. King size bed was one solid bed, firm but comfortable. Ceiling fan was pleasant and air conditioning was very good. No strong odors like some have mentioned. The air conditioner is supposed to turn off when the balcony door is open but ours continued working. Older tv, but that was a non-issue. Decor and furniture was clean but could use updating. Bathroom was well equipped and we had no issues with water temperature or pressure. The mini bar had Jose Cuervo, bacardi white, some brandy and one other that I can't recall. The fridge was initially stocked with Pepsi, Pepsi light, orange, lemon-lime, Tecate beer and dos equis beer. There was no water, but a phone call promptly fixed that and our fridge remained fully stocked for the rest of our stay. There is also a coffee maker but we did not use. The safe was not digital. It requires a key. I was disappointed at first but it never caused us any issues. Maid Service was solid, and our door signs were respected. No complaints. Maybe could have used more turn down chocolates!! We did tip throughout our stay.Our ocean view room actually had an ocean view! We were on level 3 and looked out over the neighboring Santa Fe pool, beach towards marina and Los Arcos. Gorgeous. Sitting on the balcony in the quiet morning was pleasant as was watching the sunsets. The Santa. Fe pool was noisy during the day but for us, it was never an issue. In fact, we enjoyed the music with our open balcony one afternoon while we took a reprieve from the sun.The resort is quite large and can involve plenty of walking. We actually preferred that with all the 'consumption'. Also, depending what floor you are on, there are plenty of stairs. Elevators do exist but we did not use them. From the beach up to the lobby was three good sized flights of stairs.The lobby was very nice and had a relaxed, upscale feel. Note - we had no issues making change for tipping at the front desk. (FYI - during our entire stay, while we did not need it, the on site ATM was out-of-service.) The lobby bar was fantastic. We sat in every section possible during our stay including at the bar and it was all great. The design (arches) in combination with the view is totally addictive. We enjoyed all different times of day there including morning coffee and it was one of my highlights. The bartenders were good and the drinks seemed strong and consistent. They had brand name at their disposal if you asked. Also of note, a pianist played for an hour every early evening.

The buffet was good. Selection was large and they had theme nights but much of it was repetitious. With such a wide variety some things were better than others but I had no complaints. Breakfast was great. We sat in most sections including outside and service was good but we found exceptional service in Iveth's section. She made our buffet experience better and was both attentive and fun. Top notch.Mexican restaurant had decent food with fantastic views. Half a la carte, half buffet. Steakhouse food and service was great but I wished it wasn't converted from the lunch buffet. Japanese restaurant had good atmosphere and was a nice change but the food was only average. IMO the buffet had better sushi. We didn't try Krystal unfortunately although we had the opportunity. Yes, you need to reserve Mexican, steakhouse and Krystal. We did NOT line up early like everyone says and were able to get them no problem. Lucky? Maybe. We just checked while walking past the desk.The lunch buffet never seemed too busy. We always sat closest to the beach. It was relaxing and the food was good with decent selection. Guacamole, pico de Gallo, ceviche and chips!!! The theater had cheesy shows but the ones we saw were entertaining enough. Bar service was good.We enjoyed both pools. The 'fun' pool was full of activity and it was harder to find chairs. Although you aren't supposed to reserve chairs, people always will. This however didn't really pose a problem for us. We had a wide variety of spots during our stay including close to bar overlooking the ocean. No complaints. One thing we noted, during our last couple of days they were changing out all the chairs. Old ones had removable pads and were decent but I preferred the new ones. They were comfortable and much more attractive. Umbrellas did the job when you needed and there seemed to be no issue moving chairs around to accommodate your needs. Drink service at both pools was good but the drinks were only average compared to the lobby bar. Perhaps not strong enough for some but you can always ask for stronger. Also, with the pool staff always close by, you didn't have to wait long for another. The beach was beautiful. The sand close to the resort was coarse, but it got softer closer to the surf. It was easy walking. We never felt bothered by the beach vendors. The ocean is not for swimming immediately in front of the Palace but a 15 - 20 min walk can remedy that. Medano beach had decent swimming.The waves. While we were there we enjoyed soft lulling waves that caressed the shoreline to pounding, relentless ones that pushed water right up to the resort pool walls. It was fantastic to watch, and held a magical quality for us. We also enjoyed watching the many guests who tempted fate with their running speed from the incoming waves. Good fun if you used your head. We saw many people get drenched, but they all had smiles on their faces. I miss the waves! (one night we left the balcony door open so we could fall asleep to the sound. It was fantastic until about 3 am when revelers on the beach interrupted the serenity with drunken shouting - no worries, just closed the door.)Took us about 40 minutes to walk to the marina/downtown on the beach at a very casual pace, barefoot. No issues. Had a great time at Happy Ending cantina getting out of the sun!!!$12 taxi back to the resort. We went to town via taxi on another occasion and the lobby staff arranged for us to share with another couple to save money if we desired. No problem.

We had no complaints and I can't recall any real inconveniences. Our stay was good to great the whole way through.It is true that someone is always cleaning, sweeping, cutting, painting and so on. All of the other guests that we spoke with were pleasant. Also, brush up on your basic Spanish. You WILL get a chance to use it. While most staff speaks some English, struggling through with our barely passable Spanish phrases brought more conversation, impromptu lessons and some laughs. It was an awesome time, and both of us said we could see us returning. Highlights were views, waves,sense of relaxation and some exceptional staff. And by the end of our week, the long walks from our room and the many flights of stairs were much much easier!

Room Tip: We had gorgeous views from our room, and despite daytime noise from the Santa Fe, I would recommend...

See more room tips

Stayed June 2013, traveled as a couple

Value

Location

Sleep Quality

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Was this review helpful?Yes6

Problem with this review?Report

Ask KsL1967 about Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

We just wrapped up a week's vacation at the Riu Palace in Los Cabos. The weather was amazing...hot with clear skies every day of our trip. The Riu is huge and is tastefully decorated with a very well planned layout. We stayed in room 3156 and was away the pool, activities and restaurants. Other than the cavernous halls which echoed everything from closing doors to late night revellers our room was reasonably quiet.With only one exception the food and service was very good and beyond our expectations. We only found one of the a la carte restaurants to be sub-standard and that was the Japanese restaurant. The sushi rice was bland and the mains were overcooked and lacked authentic flavour and was served luke warm We particularly disappointed in the service it took almost 45 minutes to get our main courses. The facilities are maintained throughout the day and evening. Cleaning crews keep the grounds, restaurants and common areas impeccably clean.I would definitely recommend the Riu Palace, Los Cabos.

Room Tip: If you're looking for a quieter room I would recommend any room on the eastern wing of the resor...

See more room tips

Stayed June 2013, traveled as a couple

Value

Location

Sleep Quality

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Was this review helpful?Yes1

Problem with this review?Report

Ask Luv2experience about Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Beautiful location, great food, all you can drink alcohol (even in your own room), plenty of beach activity and water sports; what's not to like. Wouldn't recommend the place if all you wanted was absolute peace and quiet. But if you are looking for a fun filled holiday at a chilled out pace, there are probably few places that do it better than them. Hats off to the manager Victor. He seems to be everywhere making sure his guests are enjoying themselves and wearing his smile all day.

Stayed May 2013

Value

Location

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Was this review helpful?Yes1

Problem with this review?Report

Ask DubaiHarsha about Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

This year my husband and I went to Cabo for my birthday! I was thrilled to stay at the Riu because we has such a great experience with the "Riu" hotel branch in Puerto Vallarta.

Once you check in to the hotel you walk into a very grand entrance. It makes you feel like you've been whisked away to a very old-meets-new-open air-luxurious resort. You're greeted with adult beverage (rum punch) and given hotel information, a wrist band, then informed about pools, restaurants, wifi instructions, given keys and escorted to the room.

Like our previous experience with Riu, we selected a jr. Suite - it's bi level room:main area has bed, closet and bathroom, locked safe if you feel you need one. There is fee I believe for the key .. I can't remember, we didn't feel like we needed the safe.

More importantly- the wet bar! There's a half size fridge, with beer, soda, and water, but above the fridge was a little (cocktail) area, there's a liqour dispensar with 3 different bottles booze.

The sitting couch/hide-a-bed is positioned infront of a TV and next to the balcony, it opens to another seating area which is semi private. Our room was 2020, which faced the Riu Santa Fe.

(Which guests from the palace are able to visit but not vice versa)

There's a few places to get food, Japanese, steak house, Mexican grill, & the buffet.

We made a couple date nights at the restaurants, but we were able to find equally as delicious eats at the buffet.

I love getting up early on vacations, I don't want to sleep away the time, so we'd enjoy breakfast just outside from the buffet area, in the sunshine, mimosa in hand with a huge variety of choices. Fresh fruit one day, Mexican or American, nothin beats good ol bacon and eggs. (Plus avocado, or salsa, endless sides available!)

Another absolutely awesome thing about thw "Riu" experience is what the wait staff does to make your experience as amazing as possible. Every morning a very nice Mexican lady called me princess! It's really the little things! Like pulling the chairs for your table. Which they did Every Time! Always on top of what ever beverage you're drinking. Or by Taking your used plates quickly.

The hotel does ask the vacationers to make reservations for the "restaurants" in the morning. I believe before 10am.

The pools open at 10am, and start serving alcohol at that time as well. Nothing cures a hangover better than another drink. So they say...

The hotel has shows every night. Very fun for kids and adults.

The bartenders are ridiculously fast! Multi tasking between blenders, shakers, and can remember exactly what you're drinking.

For vacations that do not speak any Spanish, all the staff there were able to speak English very well!

The pool areas are very big, tons of places and space to just lounge & sunbathe. There are 4 pool areas, just beyond the pools are the designated beach seating under palm trees. There is a divider between the beach shore and hotel. This is where the local merchants sell Mexican clothing, jewelry, and accessories.

There are jets skis right there to have fun on, and just minutes away there are the water taxis which can bring you to the marina, or to lovers beach, anywhere I suppose! I also saw horses to ride.

We went in January, which is a colder time to go, the only thing I can say that I'd like to see there is a or a couple of hot tubs outside. Which maybe are not so necessary but something I must say I would have enjoyed everyday.

Very enjoyable stay, the "Riu" is definitely one of my favorite hotel/resort - the rooms, to the decor, it's my fav.

Stayed January 2013

Value

Location

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Was this review helpful?Yes5

Problem with this review?Report

Ask HoneymoonInVallarta about Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

My first trip to Cabo so I was excited to be there and very OPEN to having the trip to be awesome! One of us had stayed here years ago so that's why we booked. Not gonna make that mistake again. Visited the Riu in Aruba two years ago and thought the Cabo Riu would be as spectacular... nope. Not going to book another Riu Resort. They look regal and fancy dancy on the outside but it's not that way on the "inside" of the resort. I've been to several different all-inclusive resorts (Aruba, Costa Rica, Playa Del Carmen, Puerta Vallarta, Mazatlan) and this was a dis-appointment.

Our room smelled. Not sure why, but periodically through out the day it jus stunk! So bad we had to open the front door and patio just to air it out, which made it hot & humid in our room. Very outdated accommodations. The TV should be in a museum & NO we did not turn it on one time. The beds were hard & the top quilt was so old it was "piling" (beading from use) like an old sweater. The housekeeping staff thought putting fresh flowers in our rooms (bed & bathroom sink) would be nice, but they had BUGS on them. So, random little crawlers were around the bathroom sink area. Had to double check my tooth brush every time. Needless to say, we didn't spend much time in our room... but when we did, we had security bothering us. Stocked fridge of beverages / beer / water and bottles of alcohol were a pleasant surprise.

Ok, I get it... the halls are VERY loud. Everything echoes... so when we had to have our door open to get fresh air from our stinky room, our music could be heard and eeekkkkk... our voices. It was 8pm... 8PM! Even when our music was off, security complained about our voices... God forbid we laugh and have a good time in our room. The security guy stood outside our door like we were in summer camp. I understand others complain, but did I complain when their kids were running and screaming up an down the hallways at 7am? NO... everyone is there for vacation so ALL should be understanding of a little noise. Late at night, security bothered us again... yes our doors were closed & music on low. We turned down music to low buzzz and used our childish "inside voices" in the room we paid for; to be bothered again by the front desk calling to complain. They said the rooms next to us were complaining. I told them that couldn't be because they were all in my room. Big group of friends were in the rooms around us, so whose complaining? Second group of friends had booked 9+ rooms next to each other. Security came up and told me I needed to talk to call the mgr. I did, he didn't even know why I was calling. And to make this humorous... our "noise" was more of a concern for the security guy than the passed out guy laying in the hallway which I noticed when closing the door after the security guy left. So maybe consider putting the families with children on certain floors or wings of your massive hotel? And putting the singles and large groups that are there for an occasion (wedding/bachelor/bachelorette/reunions/etc.) on a different level and give that OPTION upon check in.

Staff: Oscar very nice EVERY time I asked him a question. When I was trying to arrange for departing transportation with Oscar my friend walked by and said "don't forget to get us a taxi". Robbie, whom was standing next to Oscar and was not helping me quickly responded with "Please" towards my friend. His subtle quip was a derogatory way to remind her to use her manners. I never want anyone to feel dis-respected (don't care who you are); so I quickly re-itereted the request with every cordiality I could make sure we adequately requested a taxi to his liking. He wasn't even in the conversation, yet he felt the need to interject the "Polite Police" duties. My friends statement was a reminder to ME. I didn't interject my feelings about his eyebrows that were better than mine. I felt like it wasn't a cordial way to make us feel welcome at the resort. We're actually very polite travelers whom have traveled to several different cities/countries for years together and this was the FIrST time anyone has ever questioned our politeness or appreciation of services. Judgmental staff needs to not be the "Polite Police". My Mom & Dad have that job, thank you. And Yes, we tipped very well during our stay.

When we booked this trip, there was a total of 4 that booked together.. we were supposed to have "credit" for spa services & "access to santa fe" / etc. No mention of it when we arrived or anytime at all. I guess we were supposed to meet someone from Expedia upon arrival? We met with someone from Expedia when we arranged for transportation & let her know of the issues we had at Riu.

Food: It's All-Inclusive... so you're gonna get a cafeteria style type of food as well. Breakfast buffet was good & we would've loved to get into the "several different speciality restaurants" but they were all booked EVERY day we tried to book them. Yet, from our patio we could see the restaurant and there were so many empty tables! Don't get it. We tried every way possible to book a dinner there, so how All-Inclusive is it when we ate most meals away? Limited room service menu & times available. Hard to get someone to take your order sometimes. We had to do so when the buffet was closed & couldn't get reservations at dinner locations on site.

Grounds/Pools were the nicest part of the Riu. Kept very well & there were several pools. If you're looking to lounge by pool with kiddos or your honey then this is ok. There should be an adult only pool and a family pool area and possibly a quiet pool area. They had a bunch of activities on site, water aerobics, air soft gun range, etc. so if you don't want to leave the resort then this is good family fun. However, if you want to see "cabo".. you NEED to get off the property. Cabo is relatively safe compared to other Mexican resort cities. Very com probable to Playa Del Carmen.

And for a large resort... you have to pay to use the internet in there computer lab. Wi-fi is shotty at best and you have to punch in the code every time you want to log in. Getting help to log into wifi was non-existent. I had to ask for it & wasn't even told the code was on my check in envelope.

Lastly... may I suggest that upon check in, can you opt in/out of receiving the 8am "activities of the day" info call? I'm on vacation, I don't want to be bothered at 8am with a call.

Stayed June 2013, traveled with friends

Value

Location

Sleep Quality

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Was this review helpful?Yes3

Problem with this review?Report

Ask KM634 about Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

My wife and I stayed at the RIU 6/9-6/15 and had a wonderful time, with only one small glitch. I will get that out of the way and then move on to the good stuff. We paid an upgrade fee to get a superior ocean view room, and we were given a standard room with a view of a palm tree. When I went to the front desk to inquire, Carlos was very short with me, refused to direct me to the General Manager when I asked, and basically did not care that I had paid extra (I had my paperwork in hand). In a nutshell, do not pay to upgrade your room. You will be throwing money away. OK, on to the good stuff!

A) The food-the buffets were very good, with plenty of variety and good quality. We really enjoyed the steakhouse the 2 times we ate there, though the Mexican specialty restaurant was sub-par. The Japanese specialty is open all day so we were not stuck eating the buffet every day, and we could eat sushi and seared tuna for lunch. That's a good thing! I would not rate it 5-star Asian food, but it was certainly good enough after a few hours playing and drinking in the sun.

B) The bars and drinks-for starters, the view from the lobby bar is amazing! Across the bay to the Arch. Could sit there drinking for hours if given the opportunity. Some of the past reviews have said that the drinks are weak, and there is truth in that. But since my goal is not to get hammered, but simply get relaxed, I am OK with that. And the couple times I wanted something stronger, I simply asked them to make it "doble" and they were happy to oblige. Also, the bartenders in the lobby bar make some of the best margaritas and micholadas I have ever had. Ask them to make from scratch instead of the pre-made stuff. And Esmerelda rocked the micholadas! Also, the bars in the theatre in the evening were a lot of fun. The bartenders there rocked it out, too!

C) The pools and activities-amazing pools, which is good, since the ocean is unswimmable. The swim-up bars were always crowded, so we just kicked back in our lounge chairs and waited to be served poolside. Servers were circulating constantly. There was a game of water volleyball going almost constantly, so I got plenty of exercise in. Well, kinda. The activities crew kept everybody having fun all day, but for those who wanted quiet, there was an equally nice quiet pool on the property. The shows at night were typical cheesy, touristy fare, but entertaining nonetheless. We went every night and enjoyed every minute.

D) The staff-with the exception of Carlos at the front desk, every single server and staff member we encountered was welcoming and helpful, and did anything possible so that we could enjoy our vacation. I think that says it all about the staff.

E) The room-again, did not get our upgrade that we paid for, but the room was nice, if not a bit small. The bed, very comfortable (we slept like babies every night!). The shower ran hot and cold, depending on if you were showering during a peak time or not.The mini-bar was re-stocked every day with plenty of water and beer. The TV was an antiquated 1990's rear-projection, but hey, who goes to Cabo to watch TV anyway?

In conclusion, great food, drinks, service, and views. What more could you want?

Room Tip: Don't bother giving extra money for an ocean view upgrade.

See more room tips

Stayed June 2013, traveled as a couple

Value

Location

Sleep Quality

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Was this review helpful?Yes1

Problem with this review?Report

Ask Dave Y about Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Located in the southern Baja California peninsula, 4.5 km/2.8 miles from Cabo San Lucas. 5-storey building. On the beachfront. Complimentary sun loungers on the beach. 32,000 m2 garden. 3.5 km/2.2 miles from downtown Cabo San Lucas. 40 km/25 miles from the airport. 500 m/1650 ft from a bus stop. Credit cards accepted: MasterCard, Amex, Visa, Diners....more less

Reservation Options:

TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Caribbean Online Mgt Corp., Expedia, Amex, Booking.com, BookIt.com, Agoda, TripOnline SA, Hotels.com, Otel and Jetsetter so you can book your Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.

Also Known As:

Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas Hotel Cabo San Lucas

Riu Palace Los Cabos

Riu Cabo San Lucas

Riu Los Cabos

Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas Los Cabos

Owners: What's your side of the story?

If you own or manage Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas, register now for free tools to enhance your listing, attract new reviews, and respond to reviewers.

* TripAdvisor LLC is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site... (more)

We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly. We support the following browsers:
Windows:Internet Explorer,
Mozilla Firefox,
Google Chrome.
Mac:Safari.

TripAdvisor LLC is not responsible for content on external web sites. Taxes, fees not included for deals content.